deep

DEEP/diːp/

31 meanings of deep

1
adjectivefiguratively
Going far down from the top or surface, or lying far below it or far inside something.
Like a hole that goes down a long way before you reach the bottom.
The lake is very deep near the middle.
They dug a deep hole for the new tree.
UsageAsk How deep is the water? The noun is depth.
Oppositeshallow
Note
2
adverb
Going far down into or through something.
Like reaching your arm all the way down into a bag to grab something.
He dug deep into the ground to plant the tree.
The roots of the old tree go deep into the ground.
UsageSay deep into the forest, but deeply sorry.
Similarfar
3
adjective
Strong and serious, not small or only on the surface.
Like a crack that goes all the way through a wall, not just a scratch on top.
They share a deep friendship that has lasted for years.
The vote showed deep divisions among the people of the town.
UsageOften deep cuts or a deep recession.
Similarprofound, fundamental, radical, sweeping, far-reaching
Oppositesuperficial, slight
4
adjective
Of a feeling, felt very strongly and truly.
She has a deep love for her grandparents.
He felt deep sadness when his old dog died.
UsageSay deep respect, but deeply moved.
Similarprofound, strong, intense, heartfelt
Oppositesuperficial, slight
Note
5
dark (color)adjective
Strong and rich in color.
Like a color that looks full and rich, not pale or washed out.
She painted the walls a deep blue.
The roses were a deep red color.
UsagePut it before a color: deep blue.
Similarrich, dark, intense, strong
Oppositepale, light
Note
6
adjective
Serious and full of meaning, sometimes hard to understand.
Like a story that means more the longer you think about it.
The movie left us with some deep questions about life.
She gave a deep answer that made everyone think.
UsageSay a deep question or a deep idea.
Similarprofound, weighty, serious, meaningful
Oppositeshallow, superficial, trivial
7
measuringadjectivefigurativelyin compounds
Reaching up to the level or length of the thing named.
Like water that comes up exactly to your knees when you stand in it.
By noon the floodwater was waist-deep in the streets.
They trudged through snow nearly two feet deep.
UsageSay knee-deep or three feet deep.
8
low-pitchedadjective
Low in sound, like a low voice or note.
Like the low sound a big drum makes, not the high sound of a whistle.
He spoke in a deep voice that filled the room.
The big drum made a deep sound.
UsageSay a deep voice; the opposite is a high voice.
Similarlow, low-pitched, resonant, booming
Oppositehigh, high-pitched, shrill
Note
9
holding a lotadjectivefiguratively
Holding or containing a large amount.
The charity relied on the deep pockets of a few donors.
He let out a deep sigh and sat down on the step.
UsageSay take a deep breath.
Similarlarge, substantial, extensive, ample, vast
Note
10
to the coreadverb
In a strong way that goes far below the surface, not just a little.
Like a feeling that goes all the way to the bottom of your heart.
The criticism cut deep and stayed with her for days.
Love for the old team runs deep in this town.
UsageSay it cut deep or runs deep; most other times say deeply.
Similarprofoundly
Note
11
front to backadjectivefiguratively
Measuring a long way from front to back.
Like a long cupboard where things at the back are hard to reach.
The closet is deep enough to store all our coats.
They built a deep porch across the front of the house.
UsageSay a deep shelf or 50 centimeters deep.
Oppositeshallow
Note
12
adjectivefiguratively
Reaching a long way forward into an area.
The striker made a deep run toward the goal.
She hit a deep shot that landed near the back line.
Similarlong
Oppositeshort
Note
13
adjective
Of a team or group of players, having many good players, not just a few stars.
Our team is deep this year, so we can still win when someone gets hurt.
This is the deepest group of runners the race has ever had.
UsageSay a deep team; the noun is depth.
Similarstrong
Oppositethin, shallow
Note
14
adjectivefiguratively
In sports, playing far back near your own goal or far out near the edge of the field.
The team kept a defender deep to guard the goal.
She hit the ball into deep center field.
Note

Less common meanings

15
adjective
Completely caught up in something, such as a talk, your own thoughts, or owing money.
She was so deep in her book that she missed her bus stop.
The two friends sat deep in conversation for hours.
UsageSay deep in thought or deep in debt.
Similarimmersed, absorbed, engrossed, lost, mired
Note
16
sound (sleep)adjective
So sound and heavy that a person does not wake up easily.
Like sleeping so soundly that even loud noises don't wake you.
She fell into a deep sleep after the long trip.
He was in such a deep sleep that the alarm didn't wake him.
UsageSay fall into a deep sleep.
Similarsound, heavy, profound
Oppositelight
17
adjectivefiguratively
Arranged in a stated number of rows or layers.
Like people standing in several rows, one behind another.
The fans stood three deep along the parade route.
Books were stacked two deep on every shelf.
UsageSay people stood three deep.
18
adjective
Coming from one's true inner self, not what shows on the outside.
Like the real you that stays hidden behind the face you show others.
She wrote her deepest thoughts in a diary that no one else read.
There was a deep part of him no one ever saw.
Similarinnermost, inner, underlying, deep-seated, profound
Oppositesuperficial
19
dropping backadverb
Far back toward your own goal or line.
The fullback dropped deep to help on defense.
She stood deep behind the baseline to read the serve.
UsageSay a player sits deep or plays deep.
Note
20
adverb
By a large amount or volume.
He drank deep from the cool mountain stream.
She breathed deep before stepping onstage.
UsageSay breathe deep or drink deep.
Note
21
ancientadjective
From a very long time ago, or very old.
Fossils give us clues about life in the deep past.
Old cave paintings give us a look into the deep past.
UsageUsed in phrases such as deep time and the deep past.
Similarremote, distant, ancient
Oppositerecent
Note
22
the seanounliteraryusually singularwith the
A poetic word for the sea, especially the deep water far below the top.
Brave sailors set out across the deep in search of new lands.
The little boat drifted alone on the deep.
Similarsea, ocean, depths
23
very cleveradjective
Very clever and able to understand things others miss, and sometimes sly.
Like a chess player who plans many moves ahead while others see only the next one.
She is a deep thinker who sees what others overlook.
Grandpa was a deep thinker, and no salesman could ever fool him.
Similarshrewd, astute, cunning, canny, crafty
Oppositenaive
Note
24
nounusually singular
The deepest, most hidden or middle part of something, like the middle of winter or night.
In the deep of winter, the lake froze solid.
In the deep of the forest, the trees blocked out the sky.
Similarmiddle, heart, dead
Note
25
nouncountable
A hole, well, or pit that goes very far down.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
Psalm 42 verse 7Here, deep means an abyss, a great depth of water far down.
Similarabyss, chasm, pit
Note
26
nounrarecountable
A dark, rich shade of a color.
Note
27
boundary (cricket)nounusually singular
A fielding spot near the edge of a cricket field.
The captain sent him to field in the deep.
She took a great catch out in the deep.
Similaroutfield
Oppositeinfield
Note
28
adjective
Of a road, full of mud or loose sand and hard to travel on.
29
nounrareUS
The part of a question that is hardest to work out.
30
verbdialectalMulticultural London English
To think too much about something, as if it matters more than it does.
31
verbdialectalMulticultural London English
To think hard about something.

Practice

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Origin

This word comes from Old English dēop, meaning "deep," which goes back to older Germanic and Indo-European words also meaning "deep."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Deep comes from Old English dēop, meaning deep. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry includes older Germanic and Indo-European forms meaning deep. en.wiktionary.org